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Bonaire Info

Red Obelisk
Coloured Obelisk near the Slave Huts

Flamingo 
Caribbean flamingo at the flamingo sanctuary on Bonaire

Pelican
Pelican

Scuba Divers
Scuba Divers

Wooden Shipwreck
Wooden Shipwreck

Hawksbill Turtle
Hawksbill turtle swimming along tropical reef

Graysby
Graysby (Epinephelus cruentatus) hiding in a Group of Sponges

Spotted Cleaner Shrimp
The spotted cleaner shrimp (Periclimenes yucatanicus) is common to the Caribbean Sea
Personal Impressions
Bonaire is a leader in marine conservation and a paradise for scuba divers. Because the whole island and also Klein-Bonaire is a Marine Park, the underwater-world is unspoiled. Bonaire's pristine reefs and diverse marine life are unique to the Caribbean. It's the only Caribbean island where plastic bags are not permitted, which is very praiseworthy.

The island itself is relatively flat and desert-like. The few sand beaches are not worth to mention. Beside bird watching the main attraction is underwater. You can step off the shore and explore the underwater reefs from almost everywhere. The short flight from Curacao in a small airplane offers great views.

I highly recommend Bonaire to every scuba diver. Diving prices are higher than on Curacao, but lower than on most other Caribbean islands. The reef dive at Klein Bonaire was the best dive I ever did.

= STRIEWA =
 



History
The first inhabitants of Bonaire were the Caquetio people, who arrived on the island around 1000 AD. These indigenous groups lived off the land and sea and left behind a rich cultural legacy of art and music.

In 1499, the island was discovered by the Spanish explorer Alonso de Ojeda, who claimed it for the Spanish Crown. However, Spanish colonization of the island was limited, and it remained relatively isolated for several centuries.

In the 17th century, Bonaire became a center of salt production, with vast salt pans being established on the island's southern coast. The salt industry became a major source of income for the island, and it continued to thrive for several centuries.

In the 19th century, Bonaire came under the control of the Dutch, who established a formal colony on the island. The Dutch government invested heavily in the salt industry, and Bonaire became a key producer of salt for the global market.

During World War II, Bonaire played a strategic role as a base for the Allied forces in the Caribbean. The island was home to a large American military base, which helped to secure the region and protect vital shipping routes.

In 2010, Bonaire became a special municipality of the Netherlands, and it is now an integral part of the Dutch kingdom. Today, the island is known for its stunning natural beauty, its rich cultural heritage, and its thriving tourism industry.

Bonaire is a peaceful and stable democracy, with a strong economy based on tourism, fishing, and salt production. The island remains a popular destination for scuba divers and snorkelers, who come to explore its vibrant coral reefs and abundant marine life.

 

 

Attractions

Kralendijk
Kralendijk is the capital city and main port of Bonaire. The language spoken in the town is Papiamentu, but Dutch and English are widely used. Koralendijk is dutch and means "coral reef" or "coral dike". The population is about threethousand.

Scuba Diving in the Marine Park
Bonaire is a paradise for divers and snorkelers, thanks to its well-protected and vibrant reef, which is considered one of the healthiest in the world. In 1979, the Bonaire National Marine Park was established, encircling almost the entire island, to preserve and care for this unique ecosystem. Bonaire's commitment to reef conservation is why it is one of the best destinations for scuba diving and snorkeling.

The marine park is home to an impressive variety of sea creatures, including seahorses, octopuses, giant blue parrotfish, groupers, trumpetfish, giant angelfish, and many others. With over ninety dive sites, the majority of which are accessible from the shore, there is something for everyone. The best visibility is between February and April, and it never drops below 30 meters. The fringing reef lies close to the shore, at usually no more than ten meters.

Most divers choose to rent a vehicle to explore the island's waters at their own pace, but boat dives are also available from all dive centers. The waters surrounding Bonaire are nutrient-rich, which explains the incredible marine diversity of over 300 different fish species.

In summary, Bonaire offers an unparalleled opportunity for scuba divers and snorkelers to experience the beauty of a well-preserved reef system that is home to a wide range of fascinating marine life.

Klein Bonaire
Klein Bonaire (Dutch for "Little Bonaire") is a small uninhabited island 800 meter off the west coast. It can be reached by water taxi, or, for divers, by practically all of the local dive operators. Klein Bonaire is part of the Bonaire National Marine Park and offers world-class diving in pristine, coral-rich waters. The only structures on the island are some ruins of slave huts.

Bird Watching
Bonaire has no endemic species of birds, however, there are a number of subspecies, or geographical races that are restricted to just the islands of Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao. The island boasts over 190 species including the Lora (Amazon parrot), which is now protected against capture by international treaty. Bonaire's most famous bird is the pink flamingo. 

Pekelmeer Flamingo Sanctuary
The Pekelmeer Flamingo Sanctuary is a unique and stunning location where Flamingos breed, making it one of only four such areas in the world. The sanctuary is situated on the vast saltpans at the southern end of the island and is home to over ten thousand flamingoes. Pekelmeer, which means "pink lake" in Dutch, is named for the pools that appear pink against the white salt flats. This effect is due to an abundance of tiny rosy brine shrimp that live in the water, providing a strikingly beautiful sight.

While tourists are not allowed in the sanctuary, the birds can be observed with binoculars from the road or nearby Pink Beach. The Caribbean flamingo, with its vivid and colorful appearance, is the most striking of all flamingo species. Their red carotene-rich diet gives them a distinctive pink hue. The sanctuary also attracts numerous other species of birds, including osprey, cormorants, heron, and frigate birds, making it a must-see destination for any birdwatching enthusiast.

Washington-Slagbaai National Park
This nature sanctuary in the Northwest part of the island was the first preserve in the Netherlands Antilles. The name Washington goes back to the 1920s, when the Herrera family first purchased the property and named it "America" and later changed it to Washington. It is a safe habitat for the terrestrial native and endemic species of Bonaire. Parrots, flamingos, parakeets, iguanas and many other species of birds and reptiles can be found in this reserve. The beaches inside the park are an important nesting ground for all four species of sea turtles found in the Caribbean. The park was once a divi-divi, aloe, charcoal, and goat plantation. It was sold to the government at the end of the 1960s on the condition that the land remains in its natural state.

Mangrove Information Center
The Mangrove Information Center is a research and excursion center. Visitors to the center learn about the mangroves, one of the most unknown and most endangered environments on our planet. The Mangrove Information Center offers guided kayak and solar boat tours through the beautiful mangrove forest of Lac Bay on Bonaire's western coastline. The center has a big aquarium for basic research.

Rincón
Rincón is Bonaire's oldest village, founded by the first colonial rulers, the Spanish, in the 16th century. It used to house slaves who worked on the salt flats. Today the town is famous for its pastel-coloured homes. Rincon is located in the inland of Northwest Bonaire in a hilly area which turns into the Washington-Slagbaai National Park. 

Slave Huts
These huts were constructed in 1850 during the slavery time. In the past Bonaire's main industry was the production of sea salt. In the days of slavery, men and women were forced to work as saltrakers in the salt evaporation pans of Bonaire's south shore. Slaves were housed in small huts in cramped conditions close to salt pan harvesting sites.

Coloured Obelisks
Four Obelisks on Bonaire were used as navigational shore markers to guide ships coming in to load. The obelisks were painted red, white, blue, and orange (the colours of the Dutch flag). The red obelisk is near the slave huts, the white obelisk is near Pink Beach, the blue obelisk is near the Salt Pier, the orange one is gone.

Fort Oranje
One of the oldest buildings of Bonaire is Fort Oranje, a small fortress with high walls situated a short distance from the coast. Four big guns and a large garrison patrolled the fort from the beginning of 17th century to defend Bonaire's main harbor.  Thanks to this impressive power it was never attacked. The fort was extensively modified during the end of the seventeenth century. Until 1837, the fort was used by the commander of Bonaire. 1940 Dutch and German citizens were transported to Bonaire and interned in a camp just south of the fort. After World War II, this camp was converted into a hotel, which is now the Divi Bonaire. Fort Oranje houses historical artefacts from Bonaire's past.

Bonaire Museum
Bonaire Museum in Kralendijk is housed in a plantation mansion that has been restored to its original splendour. The collection of this museum consists of a great number of archaeological findings, including urns and prehistoric utensils. You can see antique furniture, household items, agricultural tools, ship navigation devices, musical instruments, cannon bullets and antique firearms. It has also a photo collection of old black and white photographs and more recent colour photographs of Bonaire.

Butterfly Farm
The Bonaire Butterfly Farm near Lac Cai is a butterfly-filled tropical garden surrounded by numerous cactus trees and prickly bushes. The Farm shows butterflies that live in the area in and around the Caribbean. Butterflies are not taken from the wild but bred for captivity.

Rooi Lamoenchi Reserve
The private Rooi Lamoenchi Reserve, east of Kralendijk, is a model of the past plantation life. The cactus-flanked plantation building sits among aloe vera fields and dam remnants from 1908. 

Rock Paintings
At about ten places on Bonaire you can find in and around caves a large number of historic Indian rock paintings. The most interesting places can be found at Boka Onima, Spelonk and Cueba di Roshikiri.

Slave Huts
Yellow slave huts

Flamingo
Caribbean flamingo at the flamingo sanctuary on Bonaire

Royal Tern
Trupial on a big Cactus

Trupials on a big Cactus
Trupials on a big Cactus

Old Shipwreck 
Shipwreck Our Confidence

Spotted Moray Eel
Spotted Moray Eel

Goldentail Moray Eel
Goldentail Moray (Gymnothorax miliaris)

Spotted Cleaner Shrimp
The spotted cleaner shrimp (Periclimenes yucatanicus) is common to the Caribbean Sea